Mr. B’s seeks permit for campground

A Hanover County businessman is seeking a permit to allow him to transform a special events venue in Woodford into a full service campground.

Warren Bauserman owns and operates Mr. B’s Park, which hosts bluegrass concerts and other special events. The property is located off Jefferson Davis Highway north of Ladysmith Village and is accessed via Gatewood Road.

Bauserman already holds a special exception permit, issued in 2005, that allows 20 acres of the 88-acre site to be used as a special events facility. His current permit also allows limited camping in conjunction with special events.

Bauserman currently hosts about three or four concerts a year on the property but also hosts a number of special events, such as wedding receptions and other events. A few years ago his property was the site of the Caroline County Chamber of Commerce annual Crab Feast.

People are allowed to camp on the site in conjunction with concerts and other special events, but the additional permit, if granted, would allow camping on the property throughout the year.

Bauserman, who lives in Beaverdam in Hanover County, has requested he be allowed to have 149 campsites on the property to serve tent campers and recreational vehicles.

“We get asked all the time,” Bauserman said recently when contacted by phone, if people may camp on the property while they are visiting in the region to play golf. Caroline County has several golf courses, he noted. The campground also may serve other visitors to such places as Kings Dominion in Hanover County, he suggested.

Permitting the campground would be “good for business” in Caroline, said Bauserman, who also operates a restaurant in Spotsylvania County. Campers would patron restaurants, stores, and other local businesses, he said. “It’s all a big help.”

Gary Wilson, director of the economic development and tourism for Caroline County, recommended approval of the permit. The business already helps generate customers for other small business in the county, he said, allowing increased camping would produce more visitors who would spend money locally.

A state highway officials who reviewed Bauserman’s application estimated that expanded camping would generate 50-200 vehicles per day. The main gravel entrance is inadequate for that amount of traffic and would have to be improved, said area land use engineer Michael Doczi.

The Caroline County Planning Commission is expected to review the application at a work session 7 p.m. Nov. 7, then hold a public hearing on the request at its regular meeting 7 p.m. Nov. 14.